1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to autoclaves or sterilization mechanisms which utilize steam and extreme heat to sterilizing objects.
2) Related Art
Conventional autoclaves, otherwise known as sterilizers, operate to sterilize objects such as surgical instruments by introducing steam at a relatively high temperature into a sterilization chamber. The high temperature steam within the chamber serves to kill any bacteria or germs which are present on the objects within the chamber.
Conventional sterilizers are also often provided with vacuum mechanisms which serve to create suction to draw the steam and other gasses and fluids from the chamber. These vacuum mechanisms serve to condition the objects both before the sterilization process begins and after the sterilization process is completed. The removal of air from the chamber before the sterilization process begins also serves to generally remove air pockets from the chamber, and thereby allows steam to be more evenly distributed throughout the chamber. This allows high temperature to be uniformly established in all areas of the chamber so that all surface areas of the object will be completely sterilized.
Typical sterilizers convert ordinary tap water into steam for introduction into the sterilization chamber. A conventional heat exchanger of known design converts the tap water into steam. The steam within the chamber kills bacteria and germs and then is either drawn by suction through a vacuum mechanism or condenses back to water and runs down a drain. The steam which is drawn from the chamber by the vacuum, as well as the condensed water which runs down the drain, is typically directed to the local waste water sewage system.
The condensed water and evacuated steam which is discharged from the chamber is extremely hot. Government regulations prohibit the dumping of liquids above a certain temperature into sewer systems. Therefore, the waste water generated by conventional sterilizers must either be retained in a cooling tank or a heat exchanger, a heatsink or other cooling mechanism must be provided for removing heat from the waste water before being directed into the sewer. These retention tanks and cooling mechanisms add to the sterilizer mechanisms' purchase price and operating costs.
The tap water typically utilized by conventional sterilizers include contaminants that can be deposited on the objects being sterilized, and can also accumulate within the piping and conduits of the sterilizer mechanism. The use of tap water can therefore require an operator to further clean the objects being sterilized, as well as the sterilizer mechanism itself. Since the volumes of water utilized by conventional sterilizer mechanisms are so large, it would be generally cost prohibitive to utilize purified or distilled water to generate steam using conventional sterilizers.
Conventional sterilizers often utilize complicated, complex and expensive mechanisms such as electronic computer chips for controlling the length of the sterilization cycles, as well as the other mechanical functions of the sterilizers.
It would be desirable to provide a sterilization mechanism which prevents extremely hot waste fluids from being directed into municipal sewer systems in violation of government guidelines. It would also be desirable for such a sterilizer mechanism to be simple in construction such that it is easy to operate and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. It would also be desirable for such a mechanism to economically utilize purified water for generating steam such that contaminants are not deposited on the objects to be sterilized or the internal conduits of the sterilizer itself.